Landracing Forum
Tech Information => Technical Discussion => Topic started by: The California Kid on April 08, 2019, 10:43:32 PM
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Hey.It's new to me.
It is in front of Tex Smith's How To Build A Hot Rod.
Something about it was Wally Park's idea.He was secretary of SCTA at the time.
SCTA went up to get permission to use Bonneville salt flats.
Looks like now SCTA runs Bonneville 'races'.
Pretty interesting.
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Don't forget the USFRA......and BUB......and Mike Cook......
Ed
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Parks' primary objective was a national landspeed venue, thus the name "Bonneville Nationals". Back then dry lakes events were pretty much a SoCal deal- mainly for the benefit of car club members in the southwest U.S.
I think Ak Miller was SCTA president at the time?
To nitpick- '49 wasn't the first "running" on the salt; it was the first "event" there that was open to public entries.
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' Don't forget the USFRA......and BUB......and Mike Cook......'
Go ahead.What are those and who is/was he?
Thanks.
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'Back then dry lakes events were pretty much a SoCal deal-'
Pretty much I am wondering why in the 80's when I was ready to jump to fabrication
I was totally unaware of any dry lakes flying mile racing.
We could here Ascot from my buddy's house in Torrance on Fri and Sat nights.
Nope.Never heard a word in the South Bay about any dry lakes.
I did sort of have blinders on about 'Mopar or no car.' Even more close minded was
440 only.No small blocks and no expensive hemi's.
Knew you could redrill block and put Hemi heads on but just was not interested.
Was ready ready to move to a 440 econo rail and then disaster struck.
A story nobody wants to hear and I don't want to tell.
Safe to say I am getting back into now.
Nice flying mile car sounds real good to me.
Nice white 555 Imron paint job.Nice tube frame.
Big old big block.Yeah baby!
Show these winky doos how it is done right!
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It is in front of Tex Smith's How To Build A Hot Rod
You mean "How to Build Real Hot Rods" ??
Accuracy is sometimes important.
Miie
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It's 'Make Your Own Hot Rod' Tex Smith probably '69
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'Back then dry lakes events were pretty much a SoCal deal'
Found out what happened to that pre-war and post-war Ford jalopy car club to dry lakes crowd.
They moved on to the OHV cars.WHEN they dropped in price.So mid 50's to early 60's.
'Ended up in the junkyards.' we used to say.Became hot rod material so to speak.
Right in Hot Rod History Book 1 a Dick Martin who had a couple bucks moved on to a
'50 Olds.88 model That's what all that Olds 88 stuff is about.The small ones.With a OHV V8.
He did good at race tracks.Left the old flatheads in the dust.Set course records.
Then blew his leg off somehow.That put him back on racing.Too bad.He was into it.
So.Figuring out this 'Why no dry lakes talk in the South Bay in the 80's' thing.
Talk about Drag Racing getting started next.By guess who? More of Tex Smith's buddies.
Of course he wrote the books but is sounds believable to me.
I ain't going to over analyze it.
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Here's how drag racing came about according to Tex Smiths Build Your Own Hot Rod page 8
Wally Parks becomes first President of NHRA .Then in '54 the first Drag Safari tours the country.
They meet up with car clubs and timing associations around the country and show them how to
organize and run drag races.Second year it is called Safety Safari.
Okay.They set up drag racing in Detroit and that makes car makers build cars for the youth market.
Special models to run at the drags too.Big engines and light weight body parts.
So.80's come along and I'm going at and drag racing is big where I am in South Bay LA area.
I am ready to build tube frame car and don't know nothing about any land speed racing at local dry lakes.
So.Now I do.So we will build one like that.Flying mile keeps the drivetrain nicey nice instead of breaking stuff
dragging it.
SCTA continues on from '49 through the 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 mph barriers.
Believe the faster cars only run at Bonneville.Do remember Mickey Thompson and Craig Breedlove thogh.
There is the story of why dry lakes racing wasn't talked about in my circles in the 80's.
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' Don't forget the USFRA......and BUB......and Mike Cook......'
Go ahead.What are those and who is/was he?
Thanks.
Tip - expand your library for free and check the home page of this site. :wink:
On left side click on USFRA (World of Speed along with test and tune meets) and Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials (all motorcycles which have evolved from the Bub meets). Keep an eye out for news when Mike Cook organizes special "Shootout meets" for serious players (2,3, or 4 wheeled) when the necessary entries and weather can coincide.
Ed
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Thanks Ed
One thing for sure.I'm giving the dry lakes reading a break for awhile.
That would be getting Hot Rod History Book 2.Definitely putting that off for a little bit.
Have enough to digest from book 1 for now.
Where does this Mike Cook run these races?
Have a good one
Bob
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Try Google
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Okay.Looked up Mike Cook's shootout.
I was expecting some good ole boy racing on the cheap thing.That's just 'Bonneville' stuff.
Okay.Let me say it this way.
Our approach is at the Bird Engineering Bucket T kit level.
We just use different parts.
Think 60s/70s sprint car level.It steers and stops.
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A lot of us raced back then and when we look back now it scares the s**t out of us with what we used to do for safety. We sure wouldn't dream of racing that way now. We just didn't know better and the equipment and knowledge wasn't available. Anyone who's going fast that way now should think deeply about their approach. Mishaps result in a black eye for all types of racing and the perpetrators show a lack of responsibility towards racing in general.
Rant over. Think about it!
Pete
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'Think about it! '
We think all the time.Thank you!
I think there is a big communication problem here.
They have vintage sports cars running at tracks today.
So what is the difference between that and our planned race cars running down an air strip?
Would you let a restored 60s car run at one of your races?
If no.What updates would you require? Fuel cell instead of a fuel tank?
That should clear things up.
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Jalopy Journal -> hamb -> trog
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Kid; As I understand it, you want to participate in Land Speed Trials. But you feel that the existing structure requires to much effort to build a legal car. You want a place to run a "Bird style" car. You can do that. Mike Cook thought that he could improve on the SCTA style of event, So he began running his own. Nothing stopping you doing the same. Your own meet for "Bird Style" cars Find a place, Arrange timing equipment and have at it. The "Bird Style" Nationals. Or BS Nationals for short.
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CKid.... do you know anything about vintage sports car racing... they do not bang fenders on those $125K-250K cars... it is a gentleman's racing sport...
And no... anything that does not meet the current safety requirements will not race in land speed racing venues. There are a variety of venues on runways that have different rules but you better read them and comply with that organization's rules if you expect to race.
Lawyers and insurance companies drive a lot of it... :dhorse:
So if you want to run on your own on any variety of dry lakes out there or on abandoned runways then go for it.... Let Darwin be your guide... but don't expect the folks on this site to be complicit in your plans. There is no section dedicated outlaw racing....
This site is about current rules and racing.... with respect to our history... most of us know people that paid for a rule change in blood.
And some of us participating on this site have survived wrecks from 150 to 400+ MPH because of those rules.
If you want to start your own no rules racing organization then go for it, but that topic is not something we do here. So I suspect unless you want to follow your buddy Franklin....keep that in mind
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'Kid; As I understand it, you want to participate in Land Speed Trials'
Sorry you got that impression.No we don't.
Building a car that is Flying Mile style and running it down a deserted air strip.
Keeping it simple.One thing at a time.
I hope that clears things up.
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Sorry. I took your comments about a new SCTA class for Front Wheel Drive , Corvair powered cars to imply you wanted to run with the SCTA.. This thread kind of skips around a lot and it is hard to keep up. I have lived in California for some time. But it is a big state. Still, I am not aware of these abandoned airstrips that you can run on. Can you enlighten me? What part of the state do you live in?
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'Sorry. I took your comments about a new SCTA class for Front Wheel Drive , Corvair powered cars to imply you wanted to run with the SCTA..'
Rich.I think Front Drive Corvair drivetrain streamliners can run in that 'Sunday' catchall running for starters.If I understood what I read about a 'catchall' running.Like for cars that don't fit in a class.
As far as abandoned straight roads and airstrips just use same method as finding sitting cars.
Keep your eyes open and ask the right people.You probably know that.
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Yes you can run as a "Time Only" entry. But it would still need to meet all the safety rules as a Lakester or Streamliner. So why not just run in class? I think that would be a more straight forward way of going through tech. As far as asking "The right people". If you know of one around the center of the state, That would be you. So I thought that was what I was doing.
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'So why not just run in class? I think that would be a more straight forward way of going through tech.'
To fix the communication here let me say this.
You say 'you'.We're stay at homes.That's that.
If someone wants to build a Front Drive Corvair and go up there and run in the 'Time Only' seesion I think that's great!
I think it was you that said our Kohler powered straamliner is a 'Hobby Car'.
That is what we're doing.Also getting our Corvair engine down here to start the 'Getting to Know the Engine' thing.
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Kid; As I understand it, you want to participate in Land Speed Trials. But you feel that the existing structure requires to much effort to build a legal car. You want a place to run a "Bird style" car. You can do that. Mike Cook thought that he could improve on the SCTA style of event, So he began running his own. Nothing stopping you doing the same. Your own meet for "Bird Style" cars Find a place, Arrange timing equipment and have at it. The "Bird Style" Nationals. Or BS Nationals for short.
Great idea the BS nationals gives one the the opportunity to use other words starting wilt each letter when needed. :lol:
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Hint to members . . .
Go back and read all this dribble.
Why bother trying to advise and participate?
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Reads like drivel. :-(
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"Never try to teach a pig to sing -- it wastes your time, and annoys the pig." :roll:
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With Darwin as his guide it looks like he has followed Franklin into the internet abyss....
If they continue on their quest I'm sure we will read about them in the paper.... :| :?